Foot brace



Oct. 15, 1929. SKQGLUN'D 1,731,276

FOOT BRACE Filed May 12, 1924 Iii/@7220?" Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNlTED STATES JOSEPH A. SKOGLUND, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA roo'r BRACE Application filed May 12,

My invention relates to improvements in foot braces.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and durable brace for preventing and i correcting impairment of the feet, as by the weakening and falling of the arches.

More specifically it is my object to supply a brace having a foot encircling band of elastic material adapted to sustain the transverse arch by yieldingly binding the foot against spreading and to incorporate with said band a heel pocket, with or without ankle embracing tops, said pocket and band co-operating to effect a tie between instep and heel tip for preventing the flattening of the longitudinal arch of the foot.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear in the following clescription, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a brace embodying my invention, the same being illustrated as applied to'the foot of'a user; Fig. 2 is also a side elevation of the brace; Fig. 3 is a front view thereof; Fig. A is a side view of an alternate form of the invention; and Fig. 5 is a bottom view thereof. Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that my improved brace includes a heel pocket A and a foot encircling band 10, said heel pocket, in one form of the invention, having ankle embracing tops a. The heel pocket A comprises sides a formed with the tops to thereon, gusset stay 11 for said sides and tops, and a bottom piece 12, said parts being joined edge to edge through zig-zag stitching. The tops a have eyelets 13 therein at their front meeting edges in which a lace as at 14 may be threaded.

The foot encircling band 10 is formed 0 elastic material. This band is seamed at one edge, through the lower semi-circular portion thereof to the forward edges of the heel pocket sides a and bottom 12. In thus uniting said band to the heel pocket, the former is stretched as it is stitched to the latter. This arrangement has advantageous features and accounts for the peculiar resulting shape of 1924. Serial 1%. 712,598.

the band 10 at its junction with the heel pocket A (Fig. 2). To promote comfort in wear and freedom of movement, the tops a, at their lower forward portions, are cut sharply back, as at 15 from the upper extremities of the seam joining the band 10 and pocket A.

The stretched marginal portion of the band 10 at its junction with the heel pocket A results in a smooth comfortable fit of the former (Fig. 1), when the brace is applied to the foot and provides for the maximum foot gripping force of the band 10 with a minimum of elasticity in said band, or, in other words, with the lightest and naturally the most comfortable elastic material in the band. With said band 10 yieldingly embracing the foot over the instep and beneath the same, the bones forming the transverse arch of the foot are held against spreading and falling. Supplementing the action just mentioned is the longitudinal arch supporting action, which is effected through the c0-operation of the heel pocket A and band 10 in supplying a tie between the heel tip and instep. This will be readily understood when it is noted that the band .10, pulling forwardly from the instep, draws the heel seat of the pocketA against the tip of the heel. The line of force, thus exerted between the heel tip and instep lies so beneaththe longitudinall arched bones of the foot and trusses said ones against falling. While the primary purpose of the tops a is to brace the ankle, it will be noted that they lend aid, through the heel pocket A, in sustaining the longitudinal arch of the foot.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A foot brace comprising a heel pocket and an elastic instep and arch encircling band reaching forward from the heel pocket and secured at its rear edge through the lower portion thereof to the sides and bottom of said heel pocket, that portionv of the edge of said band secured to the pocket being stitched to said pocket With said edge stretched.

2. A foot brace comprising an elastic instep and arch encircling band, and holding means attached about the ankle of the foot, said band being secured to said holding means along a line extending from one side and under the sole of the foot to the other side of the holding means, said encircling band being stretched along its line of attachment to said holding means. a i a In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH SKOGLUND. 

